ᐅ Looking for a sunshade / shade provider

Hello,

I am looking for a practical but not too expensive sunshade or another shading solution for our play area. Normally, this wouldn’t be a question here, but I’m currently trying to decide whether to buy one or two fairly cheap umbrellas (3m diameter) or to invest in something more durable...

The problem: The house is newly built, and the outdoor area will be landscaped in 1 or 2 months. Right now, there is gravel around the house with a width of 2m (6.5 feet), and next to the house is a slightly sloped area with a sandbox, garden table, and other things.

I would like to buy a cantilever umbrella with a minimum diameter of 3.5m (11.5 feet), but I’m not sure if I can mount it securely later. I don’t want to have a heavy base with 4 concrete slabs left around; that would mean the umbrella, costing around $600–$1000, would just be lying around useless. We plan to cover the main part of the terrace with a permanently installed sun sail in 1 or 2 years.

Should I just buy one or two cheap umbrellas until everything is finished next year, or what other options do you see? Especially since the cheap ones here tend to break quickly in the wind.

By "pendulum umbrella," do you mean an offset umbrella?

Generally, the base cross can be unscrewed, and the umbrella can be bolted to a single point foundation.

However, you should keep in mind that offset umbrellas are very susceptible to wind. We have to secure our umbrella with guy lines; otherwise, it starts to wobble or twist at around 4 on the Beaufort scale. Our umbrella has a diameter of 3 meters (10 feet) and cost 60 euros, so perhaps higher-quality umbrellas have a sturdier connection at the pole attachment.

Egon12 schrieb:
Do you mean a cantilever umbrella by pendulum umbrella?
Usually, the base plate can be unscrewed, and the umbrella can be fixed to a concrete footing.
However, you should keep in mind that cantilever umbrellas are very susceptible to wind. We have to guy our umbrella; otherwise, it starts wobbling like a gyroscope from 4 BFT (Beaufort Scale) onward or it twists. Our umbrella is 3m (10 feet) in diameter and cost 60 euros, maybe higher-quality umbrellas are more stable at the pole connection.

Thanks, yes, I mean a cantilever umbrella. We reliably have 4 BFT (Beaufort Scale) almost every day here (even without being near the sea). It’s a somewhat exposed elevated location. That’s why I was thinking more about umbrellas costing over 100 euros, but then you quickly end up spending 600 to 1000 euros, and I have no idea if they are that much better. Hence my question here.

For cantilever umbrellas, I would recommend choosing high-quality and more expensive models if you often have strong winds. We currently live quite high up and get a lot of wind. Our Sun Garden with a large base can withstand it, but it’s not cheap. However, it is a really great large sunshade.

Would a sun sail be an option? I find it better for a fixed children's play area to stretch out, as you don’t have as many issues with the sun’s movement.

The Sun Garden also caught my eye. It's good to know that it can withstand wind. A sun sail will be installed, but a permanent one, and only together with the outdoor landscaping. Until then, I’ll need something temporary.

I could also recommend the Schneider Rhodos. We constantly have 4 BFT, and it starts to swing then, but you don’t have to fold it in yet. We had a base plate concreted in when building the terrace, as the post is absolutely not durable or presentable in the long term.